Tubridy takes leave of Twitter

Broadcaster Ryan Tubridy has taken his leave of Twitter after deleting his account shortly after a final goodbye last night to his 60,000-plus followers.

Tubridy regularly engaged with other tweeters and used the account to promote items on his RTÉ radio show and the Late Late Show.

He had, however, regularly been the subject of robust criticism and even personalised attacks.

Earlier this year he was criticised by some Twitter users over his handling of a Late Late interview with singer Ronan Keating.

On his radio show afterwards, Tubridy responded to one texter who asked why he had let Keating off “so lightly” in questioning him about an extra-marital affair, when then taoiseach Brian Cowen had been given “a grilling” on the television show.

Tubridy responded that the taoiseach had “deserved a grilling” but that Keating was a popstar who had appeared to have had “some indiscretion”.

Last November, after much Twitter criticism of another Late Late Show, Tubridy remarked on the microblogging site: “Twitter gets very unpleasant of a Friday night.”

Last night, in his two final tweets, the broadcaster said: “The Tubridy radio show and Late Late Show will have well attended Twitter accounts as I leave this curious social medium. Cont’d…”

He followed with: “Dear Twitter, this is my last tweet. It’s been lots of fun, but I must leave. No drama, just not enough time. Thanks and take care. #goodbye.”

Some of Tubridy’s fans voiced their disappointment on Twitter today, with one saying: “Chin up, you’re a great presenter and a nice person too!” Someone else suggested that he’d be back within 24 hours.

Another user said she had only joined Twitter yesterday to follow Tubridy.

One woman tweeted: “Lads, to be fair he’s not dead like. . . . It’s just a tweet account.

Yet another said: “End of an era as @TubridyTweets leaves Twitter. There is no point anymore.”

The TubridyTweets account was showing 5,429 tweets today but was following no other users and was showing zero followers. The timeline of tweets is no longer visible.